The times., 1887-02-18
HENRY AND poNELsoN.


federate stations. Henry was captured Feb
6, 1862. A rising young brigadier general,
named Ulysses 5. Grant, was at the head of
the force that took it, The victory called for
the first time the attention of the country to
this officer. The victory at Fort Henry, too,
was, strictly speaking, the beginning of the
turning of the tide in favor of the north. A
gloom like the fog of winters day had been
on the country till then. Men in the north
were signing for q hero-a man who should
be strong enough to take the head of affairs
and turn heart sickening failure into victory.
The hero was developing, though they
knew it not. He who was to lift the cloud
was the silent man that, even i'll the midst of
the victory Of Fort Donelson was 'too busy
20 write word"
y A notable point is the shortness of Grants
dispatches at all times. A few messages, of
not many lines, to his superior officer tell the
story Of both Henry and Donelson. Gen.
Halleck, then at st. Louis, was in command
of the department of the Missouri Grant
dispatched Halleck, Feb g. that Fort Henry
had fallen. He added these words:
II shall take and destroy Fort Donelson on
the Sth and return to Fort Henry
But lie had undertaken q larger contract
than even he couldfi ill in the time he pro-
posed. The freshets and overnows, which al
ways work such mischief in the south and
west, prevented, for one thing. The roads
leading TO Donelson were sea Of mud By
the baclkwater OF creeks ON each side of the
fort there was sea Of water two miles In.
land from the fort,
The Cumberland runs north at the poiut
selected for Fort Donclson. About a mile
south Of the fort, up the river is the little
town OF Dover. This hamlet was the head
quarters OK the Confederate general, Gideon
j. Pillow, during the siege. IL was III Dover
thai the last Confederate council Of war be-
tween Gems. Floyd, Pillow, Buckner, Col N.
u. Forrest and others took place, previous to
the surrender OF the fort to Grant. Below
Fort Donelson, ON the north, Hiclsman's
creek emptied into tho Cumberland. IL was
overfowed for miles, the water up to q
horses breast. Grant could not attack tho
fort from thai side. On the other hand,
however, in case the Confederates, being hard
pressed, wished 10 make o sally out from the
fort ard escape by tho Fort Henry road, as,
in fact, they did wish to do, this overilowed
creek would prevent them. So on tho whole,
the bncltwater OF fiickman's croels was an adj
vantage to both besieger and bcsicged. Above
Fort Donelsou, and between that and Dover,
was another stream of water Indian creek,
also overfiowcG.
Mud! There was never anything like IL.
1t was 'hnlf leg deep" as specially mentioned
in Confederate official dispatches. Grants sol
diers fairly waded in mud "up to their eyes"
when they marched from Fort Henry to be-
siege Dover and Donelson. 1t flew from the
horses hoofs like rain and peppcred man and
beast, when the cavalry splashed hither and
. IN, tbn -, for ff,%
trotting. It rolled from the gun carriage
wheels and fell in huge masses at every turn
The artillery made.
1t must be remembered that it was Grant,
brigadier general, who had urged the reduc-
tion OF Forts Henry and Donelson. The OBJ
ject to be gained by it was the clearing of the
Cumberland and Tennessee rivers, and the
occupation Of Tennessee and its lines OF rail-
way. Grant was at Cairo and repeatedly
urged HalleclS to let him visit St Louis.
Leave was at leugth given. Grant visited
his superior and began to unfold his plan for
the capture OF the two forts. But Halleck
slenced him at once and snubbed linn
sharply.
Judge Force, in his book, says that Grant
"returned to Cairo believing his commander
thought him guilty Of proposing a military
blunder." And yet he persisted, iniportun-
ing again and again. Flag Officer Andrew
II. Footc, of the Mississippi squadron, urged
the same, and begged Hollecks permission to
Let him and Grant move Oh Henry and Don
elson. 1t was at length given, and Feb. 2
Foote and Grant, infantry and cavalry forces
united, started up the Tennessee 70 Fort
Henry, with 1900 men and seven gun
boats.
Fort Henry fell on the 9TH The Sunday
after Commander Foote took his place in tho
pulpit of the Presbyterian church at Cairo
and preached an eloquent sermon on the tcxt